Blessing of the Week |
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The parish church I grew up in has since been remodeled, but for most of my youth the defining feature of the interior was a massive mural that adorned the entire wall of the apse, surrounding the sanctuary. The painting was completed in 1984 (and it looked like it!) and remained there until 1998. At the center was the Risen Christ and to one side (I should remember which) was a Pentecost scene with all the Apostles depicted with tongues of fire over their heads. Over the years - perhaps as some kind of meditation or maybe out of boredom - I must have counted the figures hundreds of times. I don’t know if I was expecting the number to change or what, but every time I came up with the same count. Twelve...men.
This weekend, most parishes in the United States will celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension. In 1998/9, the Vatican approved the USCCB’s plan to allow provinces to move Ascension from Thursday to Sunday, alleviating Catholics of the burden of a Holy Day of Obligation during the work/school week. Most provinces adapted the plan – either immediately or eventually. (Honestly, I suspect it probably had more to do with alleviating bruised egos as ‘obligatory’ attendance steadily dropped.)
But lucky Catholics in parts of New England, New York State, Pennsylvania, and Nebraska will celebrate the Seventh Sunday of Easter. ‘Lucky?’ you ask. ‘What’s lucky about having to negotiate a Holy Day of Obligation?’ Well, it’s only by reading the first reading for the Seventh Sunday of Easter (Acts 1:12-14) that we can get the full Pentecost picture and not the skewed version the mural of my childhood church imagined:
After Jesus had been taken up to heaven the apostles returned to Jerusalem... When they entered the city they went to the upper room where they were staying… All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. (my emphasis added)
After choosing Matthias to replace Judas, Acts continues, “When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together” (Acts 2:1). Yes, the women were there. Yes, the women were equal recipients of the Holy Spirit that first Pentecost. Yes, women are equal recipients and mediators and agents of the Holy Spirit today. But most Catholics – at least in the US – won’t get that full picture.
In the weeks ahead, we are blessed to have three remarkable women who have been working to correct the record about women in the lectionary and liturgy offer presentations for FutureChurch:
I hope you’ll join us for any one or all of these presentations which promise to be insightful and enriching!
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Co-Director |
Russ Petrus |
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The Just Word
Writing for the Solemnity of the Ascension, Sónia Monteiro, invites us to explore the Feast of the Ascension while examining the theologian and Jesuit priest Ignacio Ellacuría’s understanding and commitment to reality and our engagement with it; engage with the Catholic Social Teaching on solidarity; and embody these ideas with the example of the University of Central America (UCA) as a model of an institution that has devoted itself to the demands of justice:
According to Luke and Matthew, the restoration of the Reign of God depends primarily on how we live out the mission that has been entrusted to us in the life of the Spirit. In other words, the Reign of God depends on how we look not at the sky, but at the reality.
Sónia Monteiro is a doctoral candidate in systematic theology and a Senior Teaching Fellow for the 2022-23 academic year at Fordham University. Her research interests include Christology, Political Theology, and Ignatian Spirituality. Before coming to New York, Sónia worked as a lawyer in Portugal. She also spent a few years working with local communities in Angola. Sónia is an active member of The Grail, an international and ecumenical movement of lay women from diverse backgrounds.
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Catholic Women Preach
Preaching for the Solemnity of the Ascension, Emily Southerton offers a reflection on following the Spirit's lead through times of change and transition:
"There is a time to stop looking up and to start looking to our left and our right sides. There is a time to focus on drawing out what is from within. There is a time to move with the Spirit towards ministry and social justice, to work for equality even within the Catholic Church."
Emily Southerton is a board certified chaplain and member of the National Association of Catholic Chaplains. She currently serves at Phoebe Ministry, where she provides spiritually themed small groups, funeral services, and leads monthly worship services for seniors. She has a BA in Theology and Philosophy (Aquinas College) and an MA in Theology and Pastoral Ministry (Villanova University).
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Can women preach in Catholic Churches? |
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On this episode of the "Glad You Asked" podcast by U.S. Catholic, hosts Emily Sanna and Rebecca Bratten Weiss talk to Catholic Women Preach Advisory Board member, Rhonda Miska, about the scriptures, history, and teachings associated with women preaching.
Miska is a preacher, lay ecclesial minister, writer, and spiritual director based in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. She holds a master's degree from the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry and spent several years discerning vowed life with the Dominicans, the Order of Preachers. She is the founder and co-convener of the Catholic Women's Preaching Circle.
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Catholic Women Preach Podcast |
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New Episodes Every Friday! The Catholic Women Preach podcast allows you to bring challenging, inspiring preaching by Catholic women with you on the go!
Search for "Catholic Women Preach" on your favorite platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. Or visit https://anchor.fm/cwp
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May 23, 2023 | 7pm ET |
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Women in the Lectionary |
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Focusing on passages about women in the Bible and feminine imagery of God, Ashley Wilcox, a professor of preaching at Candler School of Theology, will offer an overview of "The Women's Lectionary" as she reimagines the liturgical calendar of preaching for one year. Women are daughters, wives, and mothers. They are also strong leaders, evil queens, and wicked stepmothers. They are disciples, troublemakers, and prophetesses. Ashley Wilcox explores how the feminine descriptions of God in the Bible are similarly varied―how does it change our understanding if God is feminine wisdom, has wings, or is an angry mother bear?
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June 13, 2023 | 7pm ET
The Women Who Led and Ministered in Acts
Professor Teresa Calpino discusses the women who led and ministered in The Acts of the Apostles, with a particular focus on Tabitha (Acts 9:36–42) and Lydia (Acts 16:11–15). The women in Acts have routinely been ignored by scholars or mentioned only in praising the male apostle associated with their story. As a result, these important characters have been obscured. An examination of their stories set against the expectations of women in Greco-Roman antiquity reveals their unconventional situations. In particular, representations of the “ideal woman” in the Greco-Roman world are at variance with the portraits of Tabitha and Lydia. Both women are portrayed as independent, support themselves financially, and are regarded as benefactresses in their own right. Of course, benefactions from women were commonplace among elite women of the dominant class, but neither Tabitha nor Lydia belong to such select families.
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Take Action: Insist Upon Diverse Lay Representation at the October Synod Assembly |
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Following Pope Francis’ announcement that 70 non-bishops, including lay people and women, will be full voting members at the October Synod Assembly, FutureChurch has joined with our friends and partners in Catholic Organizations for Renewal in calling for the participation of Catholics who are representative of communities most often excluded and marginalized in the Church. We encourage you to contact members of the North America Synod Committee let them know the kind of representation you would like to see.
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World Youth Day 2023 Webinar with Call To Action and DignityUSA
Tuesday May 23 at 8pm ET | via Zoom
During this webinar, you’ll hear about the history of Dignity’s World Youth Day pilgrimage as well as the history of this CTA-Dignity partnership. Dignity pilgrims will then discuss their goals for this upcoming pilgrimage and why queer Catholic visibility at World Youth Day is necessary and important.
Register
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Women's Ordination Conference Pentecost Taizé
May 31 at 8pm ET | via Zoom
Join WOC for an evening of contemplation with a Pentecost-themed virtual Taizé service on May 31 at 8 p.m. ET. With song, scripture, silence, and preaching by Sister of Charity Louise Lears, we will celebrate when the Holy Spirit came down upon the apostles, of all genders, empowering them to prophesy and do the work of God. All are welcome.
Register
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Women of the Church: 2023 National Conference
July 19-21 | Collegeville, MA
Sponsored by Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary. The conference will do as St. Paul urged the early Roman Church: to Welcome Her and all her extraordinary gifts. Everyday, through diverse vocations, women share their leadership skills, liturgical and ministerial talents, theological insight, and prophetic imagination. Come celebrate these gifts and, in community with others, imagine a Church even more welcoming of women.
Details/Registration
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Mary of Magdala: 4-Week Online Course through Boston College School of Theology and Ministry
Aug 2, 2023 - Aug 29, 2023 | Online Who was St. Mary of Magdala? What does scripture tell us about her ministry? What impact does her saintly life have on us today? This course explores the imagery of St. Mary of Magdala, both positive and negative, that have shaped our view of the Apostle to the Apostles. This course also explores the impact of her life on the ministry of women in the church. To complement the informative text and videos, a scripture study text is included to provide an optional prayer experience of St. Mary of Magdala as portrayed in the Gospels.
Register
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We seek changes that will provide all Roman Catholics the opportunity to participate fully in Church life and leadership. |
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FutureChurch is a national 501(c)(3) organization and your contribution is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
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